Skip to main content

Reply to "Scout Teams"

bballman when I am at a showcase event - pro style tryout etc I know what I am looking for. The first thing done is the 60. I am looking for guys that can run. If a kid runs a sub 7 60 I take notice. Now I am going to check and see what posistion he has signed up for. And I am going to make sure I get a good look at him at the next station. When we get to the next station which is defensive work I make sure I get a good look at him. If another kid catches my eye during inf work I check to see what his 60 time was. If it was 8.0 and he is 5'9 160 lbs I really dont care how good he fields. Its doesnt matter. Unless he is really young. If the kid with the good 60 time shows nice infield actions and soft hands and a good arm I am going to make sure I get a good look at him when we move to the hitting station. If he cant field , has hard hands and a weak arm that 60 time now means nothing. And the process continues.

Size matters but not in the way some think. If a kid can not play it means nothing. If a kid can play it only means where can he play?

A kid may run a 7.5 60 but if he is a big strong kid that catches or plays the corners inf or out I will want to see him throw and hit. If he can mash that 60 time is less significant. If he cant hit and he cant throw it doesnt matter anyway.

So size does matter. But only if you can play. A small kid that can not play is in no different posistion than a big kid that can not play.

A smaller kid that can play is in the same posistion a big kid that can play is in. They can play and now its just a matter of where they fit in on the field. College coaches are looking for guys that can play. They start out by looking at tools. That allows them to narrow down the list of kids they are looking at. Then once they have narrowed that list down the ability to use those tools they have , their make up etc , become the deciding factors when narrowing that list down.

The better you can use the tools you have determines how important those tools are. Some kids play above their tools and some play below their tools. The ones that dont have a tool or tools that stands out or have below average tools, their size means absolutely nothing.

How many times have you heard about the local kid that went to a showcase and got rated as a prospect. And people back home are saying "What!" They have seen him play and that is all they are going on. The people at the showcase saw a kid that ran really well , threw very well and hit in bp very well. They see a kid with tools that projects. The people back home see a kid that has not put those tools in play yet , plays below his tools. And the same thing happens with the local stud. They have seen him play and he plays above his tools. He goes to a showcase , does not run well , does not throw very well and has a bad round of bp. He is not rated a prospect. But the folks back home see a kid that plays above his tools.

It all shakes out over time. But size only matters if you can play. And it only determines where you play it will not stop you from playing. Unless you let it.

And everyone has an opinion. But the fact is the top players have tools and can use them. And then there are the rare situations where a kid has average tools but can flat out play way above those average tools. And there are very toolsy guys that have all the tools but can not play. And those guys are just as rare as the very average tools guy that can play at a high level.

If you want to get noticed at a showcase (workout) then you better have a tool or tools that stands out above the rest of the players there. If not you wont. Its that simple. That does not mean the evet will not benefit your kid though. The experience of seeing where he stacks up , the experience of going through the process is very good.

Im done for the night. I have not posted this much in a coons age. And I am sure some folks are probably glad! lol
×
×
×
×